Left: drawings
of Celtic warriors as envisioned by Lucas de Heere, 1575

Though these may
seem fairly accurate, more recent interpretations of how Celtic warriors
looked in the late La Tene or Iron Age period prior to the Claudian
invasions in Gaul and Britain are available. This includes depictions
on coins, primarily Roman, as well as evidence from buried artifacts.

The Numismatics
of Celtic Warriors

Close-up
of the severed Gallic head

One of the
earliest coins of the Roman Republic having a Celtic subject is
a Denarius of M. Sergius Silus (116-115 BCE, Crawford 286)

The reverse
alludes to his grandfather, a hero of the 2nd Punic war. Having
lost his right arm in battle, he fashioned an iron arm and went
on to defeat 12 enemy camps in Gaul. Note that both sword and
head are held in his left hand. (Pliny)

A close up
of the head shows it to be wearing a helmet similar to that on
the warrior above and the coin below.

Celtic Charioteers:
"In both journeys and battles the Gauls use two-horse chariots
which carry both the warrior and charioteer." [ Diodorus
Suculus ] Since the Celts left few depictions of themselves,
we are fortunate Roman coinage provides powerful images that generally
confirms the written record. The 2 horse chariot (Roman 'biga')
with six-spoked wheels seen on these 2 coins are identical to
the few archeological finds. Both coins depict a warrior, wielding
a Celtic style shield and about to hurl a spear. The horses are
bridled, and shown with powerful forward motion. Both warriors
are naked and helmeted. The SCAURUS coin
shows Bituitus, Chief of the Averni,
with a spear and a typical Celtic war trumpet
(carynx)
with an animal shaped bell identical to those shown on the Gundestrup
cauldron.

L.
Hostilius Saserna, denarius, (48 BCE, S312; Cr. 448/3)

Caesar, gold aureus,
48 BCE (HCRI 10)

Julius Caesar is
probably best known to Celtic scholars for his description of the Gauls
and Druids in his writings about the Gallic wars. This and the following
two coins depict Gallic arms, trophies of war and were being used by
Caesar to commemorate his victories in Gaul as well as downplaying the
then current civil conflict with Pompey.

For our purposes
the reverse is useful in showing us what Celtic arms looked like.

The shield is long,
oval with rounded ends and is decorated.

The helmet
is horned and has long ear and neck guards.

The war horn is
of typical Celtic style, the bell being the head and open mouth of a
fanciful animal.

The armor appears to be cloth which according to classical historians
was brightly colored and patterned.

An axe is shown surmounted by a similar animal head. Though classical
sources speak of spears, javelins and swords being used by Celtic warriors,
the large numbers of axe heads found in Celtic territories and grave
sites suggest they were almost certainly used as weapons. Caesar may
have choose the axe to show since it was one of the symbols of the pontificate,
and alludes to Caesar as Pontifex Maximus.

Caesar, silver
denarius, 48 BCE (HCRI 11)

Caesar denarius,
military mint in Spain, late 46 to early 45 BCE (HCRI 59)

For several years
Caesar had been chasing Pompey's forces around the Mediterranean with
final victory in Spain. The reverses of the coins minted to pay for
this campaign again celebrate his Gallic victories-- propaganda for
war-weary Romans.

Again
we see typical Gallic arms: two shields, 2 spears., an animal headed
war-horn, a torque and a horned helmet. Looking closely at the battle
dress, it appears to be chain or scale mail, rare among the Celts
who, it is said invented chain mail, though the torque suggests
these are Chieftain's arms. The 'apron' is decorated also, perhaps
studded leather or metal repousse.

Below are 2 Gallic
captives, a dejected female wearing a draped gown and a kneeling male
with his hands tied behind. His pointed beard is similar to that on
the next coin

L. Hostilius Saserna,
silver denarius, Rome 48 BCE (HCRI 18)

Rarely do we see
portraits of actual Celts and when done are usually idealized statuary.
The following 2 coins were minted by the moneyer L. Hostilius Saserna
probably under the aegis of Caesar and not the Senate.

The appearance
of this portrait is much different than those of Romans, enhancing their
'barbarian' or foreign nature to Roman citizens. The hair is long and
probably limed, the beard and mustaches prominent and the facies peculiar.
A Celtic shield is behind and he wears chain around his neck. This Roman
has often been called Vercingetorix, probably a Romantic notion, but
then, who really knows. The reverse of this coin is the shown above.

L. Hostilius Saserna,
silver denarius, Rome 48 BCE (HCRI 19)

The sister coin
to the above shows a female Gaul with a typical Celtic carynx behind.
She has often been called Gallia, a concept that would be absolutely
foreign to the tribal Celts. More likely she represents a captive. Hear
hair is long in a non-Roman fashion and almost modern in appearance,
perhaps limed and forming dreadlocks. Her face is pretty in contrast
to most Roman females depicted on coins.

It has been suggested
that the reverse of this coin, which depicts Artemis in a Greek fashion,
commemorates Caesar's taking of Massilia which interfered with his march
to Spain. Massila was an ancient Greek city and Artemis dear to her.